THANTIFAXATH - Sacred White Noise (2014)

Genre(s): Black Metal

Label: Dark Descent Records

Rating: 8.5/10

As have many people, I have been awaiting new material anxiously since Thantifaxath's promising first release, their eponymous EP. Sacred White Noise was worth the wait.

The opener, “The Bright White Nothing at the End of the Tunnel,” features a schizophrenic-pleasing sequence of tapped guitar that eventually is swept clean off its feet by the undertow of a blastbeat. The second track, “Where I End and the Hemlock Begins,” features a chorus of chromatic descent down the fretboard. I simply love the semi-distorted bridge, as well. The mental landscape of “Gasping in Darkness” evokes the cover art for this album. “Eternally Falling” is an instrumental which sort of cleanses the palate, featuring violins being tortured at the mid-to-end-point. “Panic Becomes Despair” is my favourite from this album. It is the song I can relate to the most. “Lost in Static Between Worlds” is a great closer to a wonderful album. Lately, when I haven't been listening to Teitanblood's Death, I've been cranking Thantifaxath.

The whole album helps clear my mind. It runs the whole emotional/psychological spectrum. The production is amazing as well. If you don't listen to this through high-quality speakers, you don't know what you're missing out on. The drumming is fantastic, the bass is always interesting and punchy, the guitars don't rely on any sort of chugging and the tuning is not in drop H, and yet they always manage to keep things original. The vocals sound depraved and fit perfectly. It's also all pretty damned complicated to pull off successfully, as “progressive” as it is. I can't wait 'til I next see them live, just to see how well they perform the new material.

The band members wish to remain anonymous; a noble characteristic given what they've achieved with Sacred White Noise. Ordinarily I shy away from prog-anything, but if you like your prog and you like excellent Black Metal, I say give this a shot.

The album can be purchased digitally here. A physical copy can be obtained here, on both vinyl and CD, whichever poison you may choose. Support a great band and label!